Taking in Marlene wallace
by Vincent'svampire123
Summary: Marlene has to go to some one after Barret dies but who takes her in?
1. Taking in Marlene

_The December morning seemed colder as the friends and family of Barret Wallace stood at his grave._ Six-year-old Marlene stood next to Denzel and Tifa. Cloud looked at the young girl. Her brown hair pulled back into a braid with a black bow instead of the normal pink one. Cloud looks at the rest of Avalanche even Vincent Valentine seemed in a sad mood. Usually no one could tell what mood he was in except for today. When the funeral ended Marlene ran from the group. Vincent sighed and walked after her his long hair had been cut so it was short like when he used to be a Turk.

"Marlene?" said Vincent walking up to the young girl.

Marlene wiped the tears away from her eyes. She was shivering from the cold. Vincent knelt down and picked her up. As they walked past the grave of their fallen friend Vincent muttered softly,

"Good bye old friend."

They went back to 7th Heaven the bar Tifa ran with Cloud's help. They sent the kids up to Denzel's room. Then Tifa spoke,

"Who is going to take care of Marlene? We don't have enough room for her here."

For a moment no one spoke then the one person they thought would stay out of the whole situation spoke up.

"I'll look after her," said Vincent walking over from a dark corner of the room.

Cloud looked up his spiky hair still up in every direction. For a second no one spoke. Vincent sighed and said,

"Shinra manor should be big enough for the two of us."

Tifa nods and looks at Cloud who shrugged. Cid looks up from his drink.

"I don't see why he can't." said Yuffie who was sitting next to Cid and his wife.

"Alright.I'll go get Marlene," said Tifa slowly as she walks up the stairs.

"Marlene can you come down stairs please." said Tifa opening the kid's door.

Tifa and Marlene walk back down stairs. Marlene's eyes are red from rubbing at them. Cloud stands up and kneels so he's at Marlene's level.

"Marlene your going to live with Vincent ok." said Cloud his blue eyes looking into her brown ones.

Marlene nods to Cloud before hugging him. Cloud knew she would be safe with Vincent but he would still miss having Marlene there all the time.

"Go get your things," said Vincent coldly.

"Vincent!" said Yuffie sharply.

"Huh?"Said Vincent looking at Yuffie.

"Act a little nicer she's only six!" said Yuffie hitting him outside the head.

Marlene comes down accompanied by stands with Tifa who is wiping her eyes. Cloud knew Tifa would really miss Marlene. Marlene walks up to Vincent who softly smiles at her as she takes his hand. Vincent and Marlene arrive at Shinra Manor. They walk inside the old mansion.

"Come on I'll show you to your room." said Vincent who was trying to be nice…well nicer anyways.

They walk down one of the hallways to a small bedroom. Vincent puts Marlene's stuff on the bed before walking out of the room.

"Vincent?" said Marlene.

"Yes, Marlene?" asked Vincent calmly.

"Thanks for taking me in." said Marlene walking up to him.

Vincent kneels down so he's at her level.

"Sure thing." smiled Vincent as Marlene hugs him.


	2. Vincent and Marlene Christmas

Vincent Valentine stood watching Marlene play in her was Christmas eve and the little girl had convinced Vincent to put a Christmas tree up in Shinra walks over to Marlene and says,

"Come on Marlene lets have dinner."

They walk into the had no clue how to cook so they ended up having dinner Marlene heads back towards her room as they say good Vincent set some presents under the tree he couldn't help but was the first Christmas he had spent with any human in thirty years.

The next morning Marlene comes running into his room yelling,

"Vincent get up it's CHRISTMAS!"

Yawning Vincent sits up and looks at the excited girls face.

"Alright I'm up."said Vincent getting to his feet.

"Marlene calm down your presents aren't going anywhere!"smiled Vincent as Marlene ran ahead of him.

There was a bunch of gifts under the of them Tifa and Yuffie had helped Vincent get for Vincent sat and watched Marlene open her gifts he realized this was the best Christmas he had in a long long time.


	3. Visiting

It was two weeks after Christmas and Marlene wanted to go see Cloud and hated going into the Edge because it was so crowded but he agreed to go if it made Marlene happy.

"Marlene put on your jacket!" said Vincent holding up her jacket as she ran out the door into the snow.

Marlene laughs and puts her jacket on as they head to Edge. An hour of travel they get to the edge. They walk up to 7th Heaven where Avalanche normally would be.

"Cloud's here!" said Marlene pointing to Cloud's motorbike.

"Go ahead." smiles Vincent as he opens the door.

Vincent smiles as Tifa hugs Marlene.

"Where's Cloud?" asks Marlene looking around the bar.

"Still asleep why don't you go surprise him?" smiles Tifa looking at Vincent as he closes the door.

Marlene runs into Cloud's bedroom and jumps on the bed scaring the ex soldier.

"Hey Marlene." yawns Cloud rolling over and going back to sleep.

"Wake up!" yells Marlene as Tifa walks in to see what was taking so long.

Tifa signals for Marlene to get off the bed. Then with Tifa's help they flipped the mattress over so Cloud fell onto the cold wood floor.

"Alright I'm up!" said Cloud getting to his feet.

They walk into the bar where Vincent stood. Marlene runs up to Vincent who smiles at her.

"Where's Denzel?"Asked Vincent noticing the young boy was not around.

"Yuffie and he went out to have some fun." said Tifa.

"You knowYuffie will get him in some kind of trouble." said Vincent.

"No, I had Cid go with them." said Cloud still half asleep.

"Yeah Cid ruins everything!" said Yuffie walking into the bar followed by Denzel.

Vincent simply shook his head happy to have the energetic ninja not bugging him.

"Hey Vinni!"Smiles Yuffie.

"Hello Yuffie."Mutters Vincent.

Yuffie continues talking not caring if anyone was listening or not. By afternoon Vincent was sick of listening to Yuffie talk.

"Marlene time to go." said Vincent.


	4. After a year

"Marlene time for bed."said Vincent walking up stairs to see the six year old already in bed.

_You tucked me in, turned out the light_

_Kept me safe and sound at night_

_Little girls depend on things like that_

"Night."smiles Marlene as Vincent pulls up the covers and turns out the light.

The next morning he walks in and wakes her smiles and hugs puts her hair in a braid and takes her to her up at three in the afternoon.

_Brushed my teeth and combed my hair__  
__Had to drive me everywhere__  
__You were always there when I looked back_

The drive back to the Shinra Manor and they talk and helped her with her homework the best he was tired from the long work day but he still stayed awake to help Marlene.

_You had to do it all alone__  
__Make a living, make a home__  
__Must have been as hard as it could be_

Late that night Marlene gets out of bed and goes into the looks up as she walks in.

"I can't sleep."mutters Marlene

Vincent sighs and takes her back to bed.

_And when I couldn't sleep at night__  
__Scared things wouldn't turn out right__  
__You would hold my hand and sing to me_

_"_Caterpillar in the tree  
How you wonder who you'll be  
Can't go far but you can always dream  
Wish you may and wish you might  
Don't you worry, hold on tight  
I promise you there will come a day  
Butterfly fly away  
Butterfly fly away, butterfly fly away  
Flap your wings now you can't stay  
Take those dreams and make them all come true  
Butterfly fly away, butterfly fly away."sings Vincent as Marlene falls back asleep


End file.
